“The U.S. Department of State released the June 2026 Visa Bulletin. It sets the cutoff dates for those who can file for adjustment of status or proceed with consular processing this month. If you have a pending family-based green card, spousal visa, or employment-based petition, this bulletin directly affects when you can move forward.”
Individuals who have been filing for a green card through a family member or an employer have heard the term “priority date.” Many have been told by authorities to wait until it becomes current. Do you know what the “current” status of a priority date means, how long it stands good, and how it works in your green card timeline scenario? Here, we will clear up that confusion, because misreading the bulletin has real consequences for your case.
Here is the core problem the bulletin exists to solve. Congress caps the number of green cards USCIS can issue each year in most family and employment categories. Those caps are set in the Immigration and Nationality Act. The numbers are not large relative to the volume of people applying. When more petitions are pending in a category than there are visas available for the year, people wait. The visa bulletin is the government’s way of managing that wait; it tells you, month by month, how far the line has moved.
Your position in that line is set by your priority date. For a family-based petition, that date is recorded when USCIS accepts your Form I-130. For employment-based cases, it is either the I-140 receipt date or the date your employer’s PERM labor certification was filed with the Department of Labor, depending on which applies to your case. That date does not change. What changes each month is the cutoff date published in the bulletin for your visa category and your country of birth. When the bulletin’s cutoff date moves past your priority date, your number is up; you can proceed with Form I-485 to adjust status here in the U.S. On the other hand, you can move forward with a consular immigrant visa interview at a U.S. embassy or consulate abroad.
The numbers behind the wait INA 202: For FY 2026, Congress authorized 226,000 family-sponsored preference visas and a minimum of 140,000 employment-based preference visas worldwide. No single country can use more than 7% of the combined total in a given year, which is roughly 25,620 visas. That ceiling applies regardless of how many applicants are waiting from that country. It is why an applicant born in India or Mexico in the same visa category as someone born in, say, Poland or Brazil can be waiting 10 to 20 years longer. Same category, same rules, very different wait.
The Visa Bulletin publishes two separate charts for both family preference and employment-based categories. Confusing them is a common and costly mistake. Filing under the wrong chart or missing an authorized filing window can set a case back by months.
The first is the Final Action Date (FAD) chart. This is the one that governs when a visa number can be issued or when USCIS will approve an adjustment of status application. Your priority date must fall before the FAD cutoff for your category and country before anything can be finalized. USCIS treats this as the default chart for I-485 filings. If you are not sure which chart applies this month, check uscis.gov. This page is updated at the start of each month and is the authoritative source.
The second is the Dates for Filing (DFF) chart. USCIS does not always authorize its use; sometimes it does and sometimes it does not. When they do, applicants whose priority dates fall before the DFF cutoff can start the filing process even though their date has not yet cleared the FAD chart. Why does that matter? Because filing under the DFF chart, when USCIS permits it, lets you submit Form I-485 concurrently with Form I-765 for employment authorization and Form I-131 for advance parole. Those two benefits, the right to work and the right to travel, can be in hand months before your priority date fully clears.
Procedure for Determining Dates in June 2026:
The family preference system covers four categories: F1, F2, F3, and F4, each tied to a specific family relationship with a U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident.
The table below reflects the official Final Action Dates (FAD) for June 2026 as published by the U.S. Department of State:
| CATEGORY | PREFERENCE TYPE | ALL AREAS | CHINA (MAINLAND) | INDIA | MEXICO | PHILIPPINES |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| F1 | Unmarried Sons & Daughters of U.S. Citizens | 01 SEP 2017 |
01 SEP 2017 | 01 SEP 2017 |
08 NOV 2007 |
01 MAY 2013 |
| F2A | Spouses & Children of LPRs | 01 JAN 2025 |
01 JAN 2025 | 01 JAN 2025 |
01 JAN 2024 |
01 JAN 2025 |
| F2B | Unmarried Sons & Daughters (21+) of LPRs | 22 SEP 2017 |
22 SEP 2017 | 22 SEP 2017 |
15 FEB 2009 |
08 APR 2013 |
| F3 | Married Sons & Daughters of U.S. Citizens | 15 FEB 2012 |
15 FEB 2012 | 15 FEB 2012 |
01 MAY 2001 |
22 NOV 2005 |
| F4 | Brothers & Sisters of Adult U.S. Citizens | 15 NOV 2008 |
15 NOV 2008 | 01 NOV 2006 |
08 APR 2001 |
15 JUL 2007 |
Source: U.S. Department of State, Visa Bulletin for June, 2026.
| Category | Country Chargeability | Priority Date Requirement |
|---|---|---|
| Exempt from Per-Country Limit | All Countries (including Mexico) | Earlier than January 1, 2024 |
| Subject to Per-Country Limit | All Countries EXCEPT Mexico | January 1, 2024 up to (but not including) January 1, 2025 |
| Mexico Special Provision | Mexico | Exempt (refer to “Exempt” date limits) |
Note: All F2A numbers provided for Mexico are exempt from the per-country limit.
| Family-Sponsored | PREFERENCE TYPE | ALL AREAS | CHINA (MAINLAND) | INDIA | MEXICO | PHILIPPINES |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| F1 | Unmarried Sons & Daughters of U.S. Citizens | 01 Oct 2018 | 01 OCT 2018 | 01 OCT 2018 | 08 OCT 2008 | 22 APR 2015 |
| F2A | Spouses & Children of LPRs | Current | Current | Current | Current | Current |
| F2B | Unmarried Sons & Daughters (21+) of LPRs | 22 MAR 2018 | 22 MAR 2018 | 22 MAR 2018 | 15 MAY 2010 | 01 OCT 2013 |
| F3 | Married Sons & Daughters of U.S. Citizens | 08 DEC 2012 | 08 DEC 2012 | 08 DEC 2012 | 15 JUL 2001 | 08 AUG 2006 |
| F4 | Brothers & Sisters of Adult U.S. Citizens | 22 DEC 2009 | 22 DEC 2009 | 15 DEC 2006 | 30 APR 2001 | 22 MAR 2008 |
Employment-based categories have separate numerical allocations and priority date queues. For most countries, the June 2026 bulletin shows favorable dates with EB-1 and EB-2 listed as “Current” for all chargeability areas except China and India. The table below covers the Final Action Dates for employment-based preference categories this month (June):
| Employment Based | DESCRIPTION | ALL AREAS | CHINA | INDIA | MEXICO | PHILIPPINES |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| EB-1 | Priority Workers | Current | 01 APR 2023 | 15 DEC 2022 | Current | Current |
| EB-2 | Advanced Degree / Exceptional Ability | Current | 01 SEP 2021 | 01 SEP 2013 | Current | Current |
| EB-3 | Skilled Workers & Professionals | 01 JUN 2024 | 01 AUG 2021 | 15 DEC 2013 | 01 JUN 2024 | 01 AUG 2023 |
| EB-3 Other | Other Workers | 01 FEB 2022 | 01 APR 2019 | 15 DEC 2013 | 01 FEB 2022 | 01 NOV 2021 |
| EB-4 | Special Immigrants | 15 JUL 2022 | 15 JUL 2022 | 15 JUL 2022 | 15 JUL 2022 | 15 JUL 2022 |
| EB-4 Other | Certain Religious Workers | 15 JUL 2022 | 15 JUL 2022 | 15 JUL 2022 | 15 JUL 2022 | 15 JUL 2022 |
| EB-5 (Unreserved) | Employment Creation — Unreserved including C5, T5, I5, R5, NU, RU | Current | 22 SEP 2016 | 01 MAY 2022 | Current | Current |
| EB-5 Rural | Set-Aside: Rural (20%) including NR, RR) | Current | Current | Current | Current | Current |
| EB-5 Set Aside | High Unemployment (10% including NH, RH) | Current | Current | Current | Current | Current |
| EB-5 Set Aside | Infastructure (2% including RI) | Current | Current | Current | Current | Current |
Source: U.S. Department of State, Visa Bulletin for June 2026 — Employment-Based Final Action Dates
| EB CATEGORY | DESCRIPTION | ALL AREAS | CHINA | INDIA | MEXICO | PHILIPPINES |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| EB-1 | Priority Workers | Current | 01 DEC 2023 | 01 DEC 2023 | Current | Current |
| EB-2 | Advanced Degree / Exceptional Ability | Current | 01 JAN 2022 | 15 JAN 2015 | Current | Current |
| EB-3 | Skilled Workers & Professionals | Current | 01 JAN 2022 | 15 JAN 2015 | Current | 01 JAN 2024 |
| EB-3 Other | Other Workers | 01 AUG 2022 | 01 OCT 2019 | 15 JAN 2015 | 01 AUG 2022 | 01 AUG 2022 |
| EB-4 | Special Immigrants | 01 JAN 2023 | 01 JAN 2023 | 01 JAN 2023 | 01 JAN 2023 | 01 JAN 2023 |
| EB-4 Other | Certain Religious Workers | 01 JAN 2023 | 01 JAN 2023 | 01 JAN 2023 | 01 JAN 2023 | 01 JAN 2023 |
| EB-5 (Unreserved) | Unreserved including C5, T5, I5, R5, NU, RU | Current | 01 MAR 2017 | 01 MAY 2024 | Current | Current |
| EB-5 Rural | Set-Aside: Rural (20%) including NR, RR) | Current | Current | Current | Current | Current |
| EB-5 Set Aside | High Unemployment (10% including NH, RH) | Current | Current | Current | Current | Current |
| EB-5 Set Aside | Infastructure (2% including RI) | Current | Current | Current | Current | Current |
Source: U.S. Department of State, Visa Bulletin for June 2026 — Dates for Filing of Employment-Based Visa Applications
For June, DV-2026 immigrant visa numbers are available by region and where a cut-off number applies. Only applicants with lottery rank numbers below that cut-off are eligible for issuance.
| Region | All DV Chargeability Areas Except Those Listed Separately | Country-Specific Cut-Off Numbers |
|---|---|---|
| AFRICA | 55,000 | Except: Algeria 37,000 Egypt 30,000 |
| ASIA | 35,000 | Except: Nepal 11,000 |
| EUROPE | 20,000 | |
| NORTH AMERICA (BAHAMAS) | 50 | |
| OCEANIA | 1,500 | |
| SOUTH AMERICA and the CARIBBEAN | 3,000 |
NOTE – DV visas may not be issued to DV 2026 applicants after September 30, 2026 (program’s end date). Numbers could be exhausted prior to September 30.
| Region | All DV Chargeability Areas Except Those Listed Separately | Country-Specific Cut-Off Numbers |
|---|---|---|
| AFRICA | 55,000 | Except: Algeria 40,000 Egypt 31,000 |
| ASIA | 35,000 | Except: Nepal 13,000 |
| EUROPE | 23,000 | |
| NORTH AMERICA (BAHAMAS) | 50 | |
| OCEANIA | 1,700 | |
| SOUTH AMERICA and the CARIBBEAN | 3,300 |
Our immigration lawyers get this question often, and it usually comes from someone who has just compared their timeline with a colleague and cannot understand why their numbers look so different. Under INA 202, no country gets more than 7% of the total annual family and employment-based visa allocation: roughly 25,620 visas for FY 2026. That cap applies the same way regardless of how many people from that country are waiting. India sends far more EB-2 and EB-3 petitions through USCIS each year than countries a fraction of its size. The per-country limit does not flex to reflect that. So, the cap fills up fast, the backlog grows, and it compounds year over year. There is no penalty built into this.
The EB-2 category makes this concrete. EB-2 covers professionals with advanced degrees. Right now, in June 2026, an EB-2 applicant born in Germany, Brazil, or Nigeria can file. The category is current for them. An EB-2 applicant born in India with the same credentials, the same employer, and an approved I-140 sitting in the same USCIS system is looking at a final action date of July 15, 2014. USCIS is processing cases from over a decade ago for that group. We have sat with clients who have been in this country on H-1B extensions for eight, ten, or twelve years, waiting for that date to move.
Congress has been aware of this imbalance for years. Various legislative proposals have attempted to address it — none have passed. Until those changes are made, applicants from these countries need to work with an attorney who understands the options available under current law. That includes reviewing whether EB category portability under INA § 204(j) applies to your case, whether concurrent filings can be used to get employment authorization and advance parole in hand sooner, and — for green card holders in this situation — whether the timing of a naturalization filing could convert a family member’s pending preference petition into an immediate relative petition, bypassing the cap entirely. These are not workarounds. They are legitimate planning strategies built into the statute. But they require knowing your specific dates, your case history, and what the current bulletin actually makes possible this month.
| Family-Sponsored | ALL AREAS | CHINA* | INDIA | MEXICO | PHILIPPINES |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| F1 | 01 OCT 2018 |
01 OCT 2018 |
01 OCT 2018 |
01 OCT 2008 |
22 APR 2015 |
| F2A | Current | Current | Current | Current | Current |
| F2B | 22 MAR 2018 |
22 MAR 2018 |
22 MAR 2018 |
15 MAY 2010 |
01 OCT 2013 |
| F3 | 08 DEC 2012 |
08 DEC 2012 |
08 DEC 2012 |
15 JUL 2001 |
08 AUG 2006 |
| F4 | 22 DEC 2009 |
22 DEC 2009 |
15 DEC 2006 |
30 APR 2001 |
22 MAR 2008 |
| Employment-Based | ALL AREAS | CHINA* | INDIA | MEXICO | PHILIPPINES |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | Current | 01 APR 2023 | 15 DEC 2022 | Current | Current |
| 2nd | Current | 01 SEP 2021 | 01 SEP 2013 | Current | Current |
| 3rd | 01 JUN 2024 | 01 AUG 2021 | 15 DEC 2013 | 01 JUN 2024 | 01 AUG 2023 |
| Other Workers | 01 FEB 2022 | 01 APR 2019 | 15 DEC 2013 | 01 FEB 2022 | 01 NOV 2021 |
| 4th | 15 JUL 2022 | 15 JUL 2022 | 15 JUL 2022 | 15 JUL 2022 | 15 JUL 2022 |
| Certain Religious Workers | 15 JUL 2022 | 15 JUL 2022 | 15 JUL 2022 | 15 JUL 2022 | 15 JUL 2022 |
| 5th Unreserved | Current | 22 SEP 2016 | 01 MAY 2022 | Current | Current |
| 5th Set Aside: Rural | Current | Current | Current | Current | Current |
| 5th Set Aside: High Unemployment | Current | Current | Current | Current | Current |
| 5th Set Aside: Infrastructure | Current | Current | Current | Current | Current |
The State Department published a retrogression warning inside the June 2026 bulletin itself. Kindly note that these dates will not remain throughout 2026. If your priority date is current or sitting within the dates for the filing window, the time to act is now, not after you see what next month’s bulletin says. Here is how to read your situation:
| Consideration | Priority date current under FAD Final Action Dates — visa number available now | Priority date within DFF Dates for Filing — ahead of FAD; can file docs | Sponsoring child or spouse — DFF Petitioner filing to bring family member | Approaching naturalization eligibility — planning stage LPR nearing N-400 eligibility window |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Who applies to | Immigrant visa applicants (family or employment preference) whose priority date is earlier than the FAD listed for their category. They are authorized to receive their immigrant visa or file Form I-485 for adjustment of status immediately during June 2026. | Applicants whose priority date falls before the DFF chart date but has not yet reached the FAD — they may assemble and submit documentation to the National Visa Center (NVC), or file I-485 if USCIS authorizes use of the DFF chart at uscis.gov/visabulletininfo for this month. | U.S. citizens and Lawful Permanent Residents (LPRs) who wish to petition for a spouse, child, or stepchild. Particularly relevant for F2A beneficiaries — spouses and children of LPRs — where the June 2026 DFF is listed as "Current" (C) for all chargeability areas. | LPRs who have held lawful permanent resident status for 4+ years (on the 5-year track) or 2+ years (on the 3-year track as spouse of a U.S. citizen) and are beginning to plan and prepare their naturalization application. |
| June 2026 reference dates |
Family-sponsored FAD: F1: 01 SEP 2017 F2A: 01 JAN 2025 F2B: 22 SEP 2017 F3: 15 FEB 2012 F4: 08 NOV 2008 Employment-based FAD (all countries exc. listed): EB-1: Current EB-2: Current EB-3: 01 JUN 2024 |
Family-sponsored DFF: F1: 01 OCT 2018 F2A: Current (C) F2B: 22 MAR 2018 F3: 08 DEC 2012 F4: 22 DEC 2009 Employment-based DFF (all countries exc. listed): EB-1: Current EB-2: Current EB-3: Current |
F2A DFF = Current (C) for all chargeability areas — no priority date restriction for filing in June 2026. Immediate Relative (IR) categories (spouse, unmarried child under 21, and parent of a U.S. citizen) are always current and not subject to the annual numerical limits set forth under INA § 201(b). |
Naturalization is not subject to visa bulletin priority dates. Eligibility is determined by continuous residence and physical presence calculated from the date of lawful admission for permanent residence. General rule: 5 continuous years as LPR + 30 months physical presence within that period. Spousal rule: 3 years if continuously married to and living with a U.S. citizen. |
| Immediate action required |
|
|
|
|
| Key forms involved |
I-485 Adjustment of Status DS-260 Immigrant Visa App. (abroad) I-864 Affidavit of Support I-765 Employment Authorization I-131 Travel Document I-693 Medical Examination I-130A Supplemental Info (spouse) |
I-485 (if USCIS authorizes DFF use) DS-260 (consular processing track) I-864 Affidavit of Support I-130 (if petition not yet filed) I-765 Employment Authorization I-131 Advance Parole |
I-130 Petition for Alien Relative I-130A Supplemental (spousal) I-864 Affidavit of Support I-485 or DS-260 (beneficiary) I-693 Medical Examination I-765 + I-131 (concurrent filing) |
N-400 Application for Naturalization I-751 Remove Conditions on Residence N-600 Certificate of Citizenship (if applicable) G-1450 Credit Card Authorization (USCIS fee) I-94 Travel history verification |
| Supporting documents needed |
|
|
|
|
| Benefit of acting now |
Immediate visa eligibility Applicant is legally authorized to receive an immigrant visa number or adjust status right now. Acting promptly locks in the allocated visa number before it is returned to the general pool or the date retrogresses in a future bulletin. Concurrent I-765/I-131 filing provides interim work authorization and travel permission while the I-485 is pending adjudication. |
Secure your place in the queue Filing during the DFF window establishes a receipt date at USCIS, which is critical if the final action date advances quickly. It prevents administrative delays from document assembly. Cases that are document-ready consistently move faster through adjudication. If dates retrogress, an already-filed application is generally protected under its received date. |
Earliest priority date locked The priority date is established upon USCIS acceptance of the I-130 petition. Filing now — while F2A DFF is "Current" — means the beneficiary can potentially begin the adjustment or consular process without waiting in the family preference backlog. Minimizing the period of family separation is both a legal and humanitarian imperative that early filing directly addresses. |
Full citizenship rights secured U.S. naturalization confers the right to vote, hold a U.S. passport, petition for a broader class of relatives as immediate relatives (removing them from numerically limited preference categories), and provides protection from adverse immigration consequences. It also eliminates continuous residence obligations that put long-term travelers at risk of inadvertent LPR abandonment. |
| Risk of inaction |
Retrogression risk — window may close Visa bulletin dates are not guaranteed to remain current. The June 2026 bulletin explicitly notes that retrogression may be necessary in coming months as demand materializes or administration actions are amended (Section D). Failing to file when a number is available means waiting potentially years if the date retrogresses. Children approaching age 21 risk aging out as derivative beneficiaries — even CSPA protection requires prompt filing as a predicate condition. |
Filing window may close without notice DFF dates are more volatile than FAD dates. A retrogression eliminates the DFF filing window entirely and forces applicants back to waiting for the FAD. Without a filed I-485, there is no receipt date protecting the applicant's position. NVC document assembly takes several weeks; delay now means being unready when the opportunity next arises. |
Priority date delay equals years of separation Each month of delay in filing the I-130 petition pushes the priority date forward, potentially adding years to the process in backlogged preference categories such as F2B, F3, and F4. Children approaching age 21 may lose preferred category eligibility entirely if the petition is not filed promptly. The CSPA provides partial protection but requires a timely-filed petition as a precondition. |
LPR status vulnerabilities persist LPRs who delay naturalization remain subject to continuous residence requirements and risk inadvertent abandonment following extended international travel. They cannot petition for parents, siblings, or adult children as immediate relatives. In a rapidly evolving immigration enforcement environment, maintaining LPR-only status without citizenship carries heightened collateral risk from any future adverse legal matter. |
| Applicable INA provision | INA § 245 — Adjustment of Status INA § 203(a) — Family preference visa allotments INA § 203(b) — Employment-based preference allotments INA § 202 — Per-country numerical limits INA § 212(a)(4) — Public charge (I-864 basis) | INA § 203(e) — Priority date order of issuance INA § 203(g) — Conditional visa availability INA § 221(g) — Visa refusal / administrative processing INA § 245(a) — I-485 eligibility prerequisites 8 CFR § 245.2 — AOS filing procedures | INA § 201(b) — Immediate relative classification (not subject to annual limits) INA § 203(a)(2)(A) — F2A: spouses and children of LPRs INA § 204(a)(1) — I-130 petition filing authority INA § 101(b)(1)(B) — Stepchild definition (marriage before age 18) INA § 203(h) — Child Status Protection Act (CSPA) | INA § 316(a) — 5-year continuous residence requirement INA § 319(a) — 3-year track: spouse of U.S. citizen INA § 334 — N-400 application for naturalization INA § 316(b) — Physical presence (30 of 60 months) INA § 101(f) — Good moral character standard |
NOTE – This comparison is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice.
DACA, VAWA, U visas, T visas — these do not follow the same track as a standard family-based or employment-based green card case. Some humanitarian categories have separate numerical allocations and backlogs. Others sit entirely outside the preference system. The visa bulletin is still relevant in some of these situations, just not in the same way.
DACA recipients are a common example of where this gets complicated. A DACA recipient with a U.S. citizen spouse or parent may have a path to adjustment of status, depending on how they entered the country (legally). The same is true for VAWA self-petitioners; their eligibility, timing, and interactions with any pending or prior proceedings must be reviewed individually by the authorities.
We raise this not to discourage anyone in these situations from pursuing a path forward, but because we have seen real harm come from people treating their case like a standard green card filing when it is not. If you or someone you know falls into any of these categories, the starting point is a consultation where your specific facts are on the table, not a general answer based on how the process works for someone else.
The Coleman Law Group represents individuals and families at every stage of the green card and citizenship process — from the initial I-130 or I-140 petition through adjustment of status, consular processing, and naturalization. We practice immigration law in Florida, Texas, New York, New Jersey, and California. Call us to discuss your case, or schedule a consultation online.